Screw-driver attachment



A ril 1 1927.

p 9 A. w. sTAUPE SCREW DRIVER ATTACHMENT Filed Dec. 7. 1925 Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

1 UNITED `STATES ALTON W. STAUIPE, OF FOXBORO, WISCONSIN.

SCREW-DRIVER.

Application led December The present invention relates to tools, and nlpre particularly to screw drive-rs and the An object of the present invention is to provide a screw driver with an attachment for holding a screw in position on the bit of the screw driver so that the screw driver may be used as a lever or handle forinitially placing the screw in its opening without the necessity of holding the screw in the fingers and applying it to its opening and starting the screw.

Another object of the invention is to providevineans for placing a screw in its open-` ing where the opening is inaccessible to the hand or fingers, and under such conditions that the hand and fingers would encounter grease, dirt or the like, and to provide means by which screws may be easily placed or removed without soiling the hands, such as in making repairs or adjustments on machinery where parts become loose or broken.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment of this character which lies closely against the sides of the bit and stem of the screw driver so that the latter may be introduced into relatively narrow spaces and turned or otherwise operated as is found necessary and without interference by adjacent obstacles liable to catch in attachments to the screw driver.

The invention also provides an attachment vof this character for yieldingly holding the screw against the bit of the screw driver and for releasing the screw after it has been started in its opening, and to provide means for adjustably tensioning the device on the screw to meot various conditions in the chain acter of the screw head and the length. and weight of the screw. t

il still further object of the invention is to provide a screw holding attachment of this character with operating means er ranged adjacent to the handle of the screw driver so that the screw may be enga-ged and released from the handle portion of the screw driver. This facilitates not only the positioning of a screw but also the 'removal of the screw without touching the same with the fingers.

The above and various other objectsand advantages of this invention will in part be described in, and in part be understood from, the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, same ATTACHMENT.

7, 1925. serial No. 73,791..

being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a screw driver having the screw holding attachment of this invention applied thereto, the attachment and a screw clamped therein being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary outer end view of the screw driver and attachment with the latter adjustedvin position out of the way so that the screwdriver may be used in the ordinary manner.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view, enlarged, of theclamping member.

Fig. t is a similar view of the tension member employed.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the operating device on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section taken through lthe screw on the line 6--6 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse section taken through the screw driver and attachment on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is disclosed as applied to a conventional form of screw driver having a stem 10 provided on its inner end with a bit 11 adapted to engage in the kerf 12 formed in the head 13 of a screw 14. The outer end of the screw driver is provided with a handle 15 which may be reinforced by a `ferrule 16 in the usual manner.

The screw holding attachment comprises a clamping member 17 which is in the form of a vfiat bar having one end turned at substantially rightangles to the bar and forked lto provide an engaging or clamping jaw 18..

The jaw 1S of suiiicient length to engage across the inner side of the head 13 of the screw 14- and the bight of the jaw 18 is of suiiicient width to freely receive the stein or shank of the screw lttherethrough by a 1at eral movement of the clamping member 17. The clamping member is provided at suitable spaced-points with guides 19 and 20. The guide 20 may be formed by bending the opposite end of the clamping member 17 at right angles thereto and in the direction of the clamping jaw 18. The guide 19 may be integrally or otherwise attached to an intermediate portion of the clamping member 17 and is disposed between the guide 2O and the jaw la it; einen is so are liti with openings 21 theretlnfough for the re ception of the stem oit the screw driver and the outer ends of the guides` may be partially open to facilitate the assembling of the `@guides on the stem.

The attachment also includes a tension member 22 in the form of a tlat bar provided with spaced guides 23 and 2t extending.;l at substantially right angles -from one side ot the tension member 22. The .Quides 23 and 24 are provided with openings 25 therein through which the stem of the screw driver may freely slide, The outer ends ol. the guides 23 and 24 are lett partly openv to tan cilitate the assemblee@ el the parts. The guide 23 may be int ',f or otherwise attached to an intermediate portion ot the tension member 22 while the guide 24 may comprise the inner vend of the tension member bent at right angles to the body o'l2 the 'tension member, 'The outer end oli the tension member is provided with an eye or opening;r 26 for pivotally receivingF therethreurgh the hooked end 27 ot a pull rod 2P which ci;- tends outwardl).7 towardthe handle oit the screw driver.

The outer end of the pull rod 28 is bent at right angles and threaded to provide a pivot 29 which is selectively positioned in one of a. series of openings 30 which are formed in a. lever31 which is pivoted at one end at 32 upon a projection or bracket 33 which is provided with a. sleeve 34C mounted on the stem 10 of the screw driver. The sleeve 34 is secured in position spaced trom thel handle 15 by a set screw 35. The free end of the lever 31 is adapted to swing toward and from one side ot the handle 15 and may be adjusted to suit the length ot the stem 1() by means of the sleeve and set screw 34 and 35 and the openings 30 in the lever 31.

The clamping member 17 is placed against one side of the stem 10, and the tension member 22 is placed against the opposite side of the stem 10 with the members 17 and 22 in overlapping relation such that the guide 24 oit the tension member 22 lies between the guides 19 and 20 of the clamping memn ber. A coil spring 36 is placed about the stem 10 between the guide 2O of the clampu ing member 17 and the guide 2.1i oi the ten sion member 22 itor urging these guides away from each other. The spring is housed between. the clamping` and tension members 17 and 22.l

For the purpose of holding;` the clamping and tension members 17 and 22 in correct position upon the inner end of the stem 10, a. collar 37 is mounted on the stem and securedin adjusted position by a set screw 38, the collar being located adjacent to the bit 11 to engage the guide 21 of the clamping member 17.

ln operation, the lever 3l. is swung into releasing position as shown .in dotted lines in 1. The tension member releases the spring); 36 so that the clali'iiing member 17 may be moved inwardly upon. the stem 10 and the jaw 13 may be engaged over the inner side et the head 13 of the screw 14e either by a lateral niovement of the stem 10 or by manually placingthe screw in the jaw. ln placing` thc screw in position the korf 12 is ln'ougrht in to register with the bit 11 et the screw driver. The lever 31 is now swurrgr hael: into locking; position as shown in full lines in Figi. 1, and 'it will be noted that the pull rod 28 is carried inwardly past the pivot il?) so that the rod is automatically locked in position. This movement of the lever 31 draws the tension member 22 outwardly and con'ipresses the spring; 36, the latter drawing the clampingv member 17 outweirdly and. binding. the head lil ol the screw against the bit il.

The ii'eleasinteA and clamj'iing actions ot the jaw 1S are thus controlled by the lever 3l wh ich is located at the outer end et the screw driver and adjacentto the handle 15. The tension olf' the spring; 36 may be regulated by the selective positioning of the pivot 29 in one et the openings 30 oli' the lever 31, a bit or the lilre 39 being mounted on the pivot 29 to hold it in adjusted position.

It it is desired to use the screw driver without holding a screw thereto, the screw may be omitted and the lever 31 swung into locking position as shown in Fig. 1, when the clamping member 17 will assume the position shown in Fig. 2, or wherein the clamping jaw 18 is drawn outwardly over the bit 11 by the springy 36 and the guides 2O and 23 are brought together to hold the parts against vibration. A

It is of course understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specific embodiment of the invention wit-hout departing` from the spirit thereof, and limited only by the scope of the followingr claims.

lhat. is claimed is:

l.. In combination with a screw drivhaving a stem, a bit and handle. Lg member slidably mounted on th to engage a screw and bold it. against the bit, a tension member slidably mounted on the stem, a lever carried by said stem operatively connected to said tension member to move it toward and from the bit, and a spring operatively engaging said Clampingr and tension members to urge said clamping member in a direction toward said handle when said tension member is drawn away from the bit.

2. In combination with a screw driver havingf a stem and a bit, a pair ot members slidably mounted in overlapping` relation with respect to each other and against the opposite sides et the stem, one olf said memstern CII neaaaav bers having a clamping jaw extending across the bit, a spring interposed between the overlapping portions of the members to maintain the same in overlapping relation, a lever pivoted to the outer end of the stem, and a pull rod connected between the lever and the other member for drawing the same outwardly on the stem to compress the spring and bind the lirst member toward the bit and for shifting said other member inwardly upon the stem to release said first member.

In combination with a screw driver having` a stem and a bit, a pair of members arranged against the opposite sides of the stem and provided with spaced guides engagging the stem and disposed in alternate relation thereon to support the members in overlapping relation, a coil spring on the stem between adjacent guides of said 1nem bers to urge the same into overlapping relation, one of said members having a clamping jaw adapted to project beyond said bit, a lever pivotally mounted on the stem near the outer end thereof, a pull rod connected at one end to the other one ot said members and provided with a pivot on its other end, said lever having a series of openings therein to selectively receive the pivot of the rod therethrough, said lever being adapted to be swung in one position for tensioning the spring to draw the clamping jaw outwardly and adapted to be swung into an opposite position to release the spring and permit the inward movement of said -iaw.

4. In combination with a screw driver having a stem and a bit thereon, a clamping member, a spring tensioning member, each of said members having spaced apertured guides projecting from one side thereof and slidably mounted on said stem with a guide of one member disposed between the guides ot the other member, one of said members having a clamping jaw on its inner end adapted to engage the head of a screw mounted on the bit, a coil spring mounted on the stem between the outer guide of the clamping member and the inner ,guide the tension member, a sleeve bracket adjustably mounted on the outer end portion of the stem, a lever pivoted on the sleeve bracket and having' a series of openings therein, i rod pivoted to the outer end of the tension member and having a pivot on its other end selectively engaged in one of said openings of the lever, and a stop collar adjustably mounted on the stem near the bit for holding said members in position on the stem.

ALTON W. STAUPE. 

